Tanglang Quan or the mantis boxing is also an animal-imitating style of fist play. It copies the form and actions of a mantis adding the attack and defence skills of the martial arts. This unique style of boxing boasts an assortment of routines which generally fall into the northern and southern styles.

The northern-style mantis boxing is said to have been created by Wang Lang of Jimo County in Shandong Province at the turn of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Legend has it that Wang was fond of martial arts and went to study Wushu at the Shaolin Temple in Henan Province. After the temple was burnt down by the imperial army, Wang Lang returned to Jimo where, because of his shorter stature, he was beaten again and again by his senior fellow apprentice.

The mantis boxing features force, power, dexterity, speed, a combination of hardness and suppleness, of substantial and insubstantial tricks end blows and of attack and defence. It necessitates a good command of catch and release and a variation of action. Mantis boxers will attack if provoked; they will not attack if untouched by opponents; they deliver fist blows in quick succession when offended. These characteristics of the mantis boxing are well known among Chinese martial artists.
A common featured of various styles of the mantis boxing is that their actions are accurate and performed in earnest. Mantis boxers move lightly, yet powerfully and their attacks are very strong with tricks that are delicately connected. The mantis boxing stresses eyesight, hand play, footwork and body movements as well as speed, agility, steadiness and careful choice of moves. Its power generation is strong but not stiff, supple but not soft, quick but not unconnected nor out of rhythm. The mantis boxing boasts of many skills and techniques and can beat its opponent with unpredictable changes of tricks and combinations of hardness and suppleness.